Connection to Nature

Connection to Nature

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average American spends 93% of their life indoors (87% of their life is buildings and another 6% in automobiles). CEI is is focused on helping people connect with nature because a substantial and rapidly growing body of research has found that, in addition to fostering positive environmental behavior, regular contact with nature and a sense of connectedness with nature is important for human well-being - people are healthier, happier, smarter and more creative when they have a connection to nature.

Research has examined the impact of exposure to nature in a variety of forms, from mere images, to views from a window, to neighborhood play, to educational settings and wilderness programs. The populations studied have been from a wide range of demographics, socioeconomic groups, and countries, and have included the general public as well as people in clinical populations. The specific outcomes examined have been diverse as well, including physical, cognitive, emotional and social development. The outcome of positive findings from studies employing different populations, research designs, and measures suggests that the benefits of time in nature are pervasive and generalizable. Research is also providing convincing evidence that for all the benefits of time in nature for adults, the benefits are even more profound for children.

Several specific experiences that can be particularly beneficial in fostering connectedness with nature and increasing the likelihood that people will exhibit positive environmental behavior, such as hands-on ecological restoration, experiential citizen science, and cultivating naturalist skills such as observation, nature drawing and identification, tracking, and ecological mapping.